‘Attempts To Take Jayalalithaa Abroad For Treatment Were Thwarted’

Chennai: Former chief minister O Panneerselvam on Friday kept up the pressure on Tamil Nadu and central governments for a probe into the medical treatment provided to former chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

Panneerselvam said some doctors who treated Jayalalithaa had met him and had spoken to him about the treatment provided to her. “It was only after this that I decided to come out and speak against (AIADMK general secretary) VK Sasikala and her family,” he told reporters at his residence after a meeting with AIADMK party cadre from Kancheepuram district.
“Doubts persist about the medical treatment given to Amma. She was not ailing for a long time. She died suddenly. We want the government to probe her death, come out with the truth and put all doubts to rest,” he said.

Panneerselvam warned that he and his supporters are planning to sit on a hunger strike from 5pm on March 8 “if there is no announcement about the probe by then.”
Recalling the various developments in the run up to Jayalalithaa’s death, the former chief minister claimed that several times the issue of taking the leader to the US or the UK for better treatment was raised. “Senior ministers and I suggested that Amma be taken abroad for treatment. We also spoke to doctors in the hospital to find out whether she was fit to travel abroad. They said it was possible, but permission was not given,” alleged Panneerselvam.

Several MLAs and ministers, who are now in the Sasikala faction, had earlier expressed apprehension about going back to their constituencies and meeting voters if Sasikala became chief minister. “There are many MLAs and ministers who called on me and told me that it would not be possible to win election if Sasikala became chief minister. All of them are now continuing as ministers and MLAs since they want position,” said Panneerselvam.